Nov 12, 2009 11:02 AM

I noticed no one had started a new thread and we had dropped to the second page so here's a new weekly thread.

After much discussion in the Newbie Cafe, it has been determined that Penguins deserve love, too. So feel free to embrace your PenguinHood and speak your mind. Get some support. Ask for help. Whatever.

Have a great week,

pam

The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start!John Bingham

I am getting ready to finish my last week of walking. That means that Monday I can start walk/run intervals aka. W1D1. Can't wait. Glad I took some time to get back into exercising again and hope that it staves off injury.

Tomorrow I start something else new. We are starting a hula hoop class where I work! Its supposed to be a great core workout. I wouldn't know since I have NEVER been able to hula hoop in my life. I can't wait to see if I can learn it. My core could use lots of work and hula hooping looks like a fun way to accomplish that. I'll keep you posted on how it goes.

Have a great week,

pam

The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start!John Bingham

Penguins? I am new to running, so I guess I'm not hip to the lingo....what exactly makes a penguin? I noticed something in the new, slow runner thread about this one so figured I might be in this classification of runner.

Pam: Hula hoop class?!?! That sounds like fun; let us know how it goes! Maybe something to introduce to my office, too.

Well, I finished C25K last week, but I'm still Penguin slow (~17mm). I can run 3+ miles at that pace, because I transitioned during C25K from running for time to running for distance, knowing that it would take forever to do the distance non-stop. I actually train 4-5 days per week plus cross-training, because I need to burn the calories for weight loss. One reason I'm a Penguin is because I'm overweight (240#), so I need to keep training. It's been tough in this post-grad period to figure out what to do next.

After much consideration, I decided that next week, I'll start the Cool Runnings Easy 5K 12 wk program. It assumes that you can run 4-5 days/wk for 12-15 miles/wk. I need to build a foundation of mileage, so that it will become easier, and I believe that my times will gradually improve. This training, though designed for a 5K, actually builds the weekly long run up to 6 miles, plus includes many 4 or 5 mile runs. I actually could use this training to prep for completing a 10K, if one came up. Do any other Penguins/C25K grads want to join me in this training? Here is the link: http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_4/146.shtml

I have a local 5K race in 2 wks, plus a 5K the following week in Memphis. I'm hoping to finish ~46-48 mins. After mid-December, the local races are limited until mid-Feb so I'll just work on my training thru winter.

Pam (greeneyes)- I am glad to see that you are ready to start C25K on Monday. Just remember that when you run for 60 secs (or 90 or 180) that you are not trying to do it at a 10 min/mi pace! If you start off running too fast, you will get shin splints or get too out of breath, and then feel like you can't do it. Set your own pace, and just run for the time interval listed. I've read on these threads about a lot of people who couldn't do the 90 sec run or 3 min run, because they were out of breath or hurt. They would do a week over and over again. But, when they slowed down and did it at their own pace, they were able to finish the workout, and go onto the next day or week.

Thanks for the tips, Jasmine. I will remember that. My workout partner has already told me I am on my own for running. She wants nothing to do with it. Fortunately, we workout on Treadmills that are next to each other. Maybe I'll talk her into it yet!

Melissa- Welcome!

Have a great weekend all.

pam

The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start!John Bingham

Last night my daughters and I ran a 5k in a themepark in our area. It's held at 10pm, after the park closes. There must have been close to 2000 walkers/runners. I went into this one with very few expectations and it was a good thing, that way I wasn't disappointed with myself! LOL I live in the Ozarks, so it was a very hilly course. The route went through the parking lots for over halfway (hilly), then continued and finished within the park. It was lovely, all decked out for the Christmas season.

Anyway, I did NOT have a good run, none of us did. The first 8 minutes were all downhill, very pleasant and enjoyable. Then I hit the first, LONG hill in the parking lot, and got a horrible stitch. I can't remember the last time I had a stitch, but I do now! To top it off, it was a cool night to begin with and I was HORRIBLY overdressed, with nowhere to leave my extra clothing, so I wore it. Being so overheated didn't help at all. Oh, and this shows either my sick sense of humor, or my state of mind at the time, but as we were winding back and forth through one of the parking lots, I looked out at that sea of hundreds of people, and it made me think of the scene in "Titanic" after it had sunk and the people were floating in the ocean, screaming and crying for help. But I'm pretty sure they were talking and laughing instead.

Then, with about 1/4 mile to go, we hit the steepest hill of all. Now, WHY would they make the finish like that? Cruel! lol Just as I had about 1/10th of a mile to go, the event shirt that I had tied around my waist started slipping, and I could just see it falling around my ankles and tripping me! So I had to deal with trying to untie the shirt and several people got past me there at the end. Good for them, I did not mind a bit!

My time was 44:xx, which was over 6 minutes slower than my last 5k. But, like I said, I had no expectations for this one!

My daughter had kind of a funny story. As she was trotting up that final steep hill, one of the volunteers was yelling, "You're about halfway there! Keep it up!" A man running next to Megan started yelling "We're only halfway done?!? You've got to be kidding me!" The poor guy thought the 5k was only halfway done. Megan told him the lady meant that hill, so he calmed down and finished. I guess he thought he'd accidentally gotten in a 10k there for a minute. haha

My girls (22 and 18) said "We're never doing this again!" And then a few minutes later they were talking about how they knew better how to dress next time. So I don't think they're done yet.

I'm still trying to talk them into the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving, but it may be too soon. Maybe next year.

"Success isn't how far you got, but the distance you traveled from where you started."

Donna- Missed you & wondered where you were. It sounds like your training pace & mine are similar. Friday I did 3.4mi at 16.5mm pace for first time.

Ever since I got back from CA, I've been bummed out and in no mood to train or do anything. Finally I tried a late workout at the gym today, and was just in no mood to run very far, so I did run/walking, elliptical & exercise bike all in short bursts, until a movie finished, and now I'm home. I've got to get my MoJo back so I can get back on track.

I'm going to start the CoolRunning5k on Sunday The first week will be: 3mi/3mi/off/2mi/4mi/off/3mi. I shifted the sequence so that a 3 mile run will coincide with 5K runs on Saturdays. The long runs will be on Thursdays.

Kim - That was quite a race. I liked your daughter's story. I think I would have thought the same as the man behind her. That would have done me in!

Well, tonight is start of C25K. I have been walking to get ready and prevent injury, I hope. I am looking forward to getting started. I promise to live up to my penguin-ness and go really slow on the running parts so I don't get injured or burn out. I am still working on talking my workout partner into giving it a try, but truthfully she already walks faster than my run speed! (She is also 5 inches taller than me!) We workout on the treadmills so we can walk our own speed and still talk! Maybe she'll be so impressed when I am done that she will decide to try. We'll see...

Have a great week everyone.

pam

The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start!John Bingham

Pam, I have a very close friend that started c25k in September. Back in July she did a 'boot camp' that was offered through her church. The trainer treated them all as if it were a real boot camp, and unfortunately, her stubborness and pride caused her to push herself waaaay too hard and she suffered ankle problems for awhile. So now she is following the c25k faithfully, not varying from it in the slightest. She is about 60-80 lbs. overweight, but she is up to running for 30 minutes at a time now, with no problems. She's very slow, about 3.5 mph, but she is doing it, and SO CAN YOU! You are a very wise woman to be willing to take it so slow in order to avoid injury. Good luck, and we're all rooting for you!

"Success isn't how far you got, but the distance you traveled from where you started."